The high court, which is hearing a public interest litigation filed by a Pimpri Chinchwad resident in 2010, had directed PCMC to visit illegal structures and issue noticesTNN | February 11, 2016, 13:29 IST

PIMPRI CHINCHWAD: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has issued notices to owners of over 28,000 illegal constructions based on inspections and site visits conducted by civic officials.

An affidavit submitted to the Bombay high court last month stated this. The high court, which is hearing a public interest litigation filed by a Pimpri Chinchwad resident in 2010, had directed PCMC to visit illegal structures and issue notices.

The affidavit said, "Though there are 66,324 unauthorized constructions on record in the affidavit submitted on January 4, 2014, the said figure has been arrived at by considering property tax records, that is, notices issued to the occupants of the tenements in such constructions liable for property tax. However, as per actual inspection, site visits and verification prior to issuing of fresh notices, 23,276 structures have been identified till date as unauthorized and there are 28,157 properties included in those structures. Hence 28,157 notices under Section 53 of the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act have been issued to owners of the unauthorized constructions. The work to identify such structures will continue as before."

In another affidavit submitted on February 1, the civic body informed the high court that it issued 3,254 notices and demolished as many as 120 constructions between December 1, 2015, and January 31 this year.

In October last year, the high court had directed the municipal corporation to set up a grievance redressal mechanism to take action on complaints made by citizens about unauthorized constructions. The PCMC had stated in December 2015 that it had set up a mechanism as part of its Sarathi helpline (System of assisting residents and tourists through helpline information).

Last month, the civic body issued a public notice in newspapers saying that it had started such a helpline and that some persons and developers were carrying out unauthorized constructions in PCMC limits. "Carrying out unauthorized constructions is an offence according to Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Rules and Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Rules. Police complaints will be lodged against the owners or developers who are carrying out such constructions," the notice said.

Some persons and developers involved in illegal constructions have also sold these flats, the notice further stated. Buyers should ensure that the construction is legal to avoid any problem. PCMC, in the affidavit submitted last month, said it had taken action on 381 complaints last year, demolished 728 illegal constructions and issued notices to owners of over 18,000 constructions.